meditation

Learning to meditate changed my life, very much for the better. Where there had been a dark and scary void in the centre of my being, regular meditation gradually replaced that with a radiant warm golden light. This inner light is now always accessible to me and is a source of great comfort and strength. Regular meditation makes me happy and clear thinking.

Meditation is all about mental focus. You aim to quieten the chattering of your mind, and to enter a state of calm and bliss. This is the Beta state we enter naturally between sleep and wakefulness, but in meditation, we aim to hold that state. Once this is accomplished you can then go further, into deeper states of consciousness, which I will describe elsewhere.

I practice a stripped down form of Raja Yoga, where the physical aspects of yoga are dispensed with, and the focus is on mental yoga or "union" with the divine. This meditation is done with eyes open, so that it can be practiced even whilst walking around. For me, the primary "yukti" or method is visualisation of the light within me. I aim to meditate first thing each morning, for half and hour to an hour or more, and then again for brief periods throughout the day. A key facet of Raja yoga is that you aim to be in a "soul-conscious" i.e. yogic state at all times, throughout the day, whilst working, eating, playing, even whilst sleeping! Now I am able to meditate "on the fly" whenever I feel the need - e.g. if my mind is racing or chaotic, or I am feeling challenged or disturbed. A few moments of calm and focussed inner reflection can re-charge you for hours.

When possible, I prefer to meditate within a group. We sit in a room designated only for this purpose, and focus on a candle or light or picture in front of us. There is incense burning, and calm meditation music playing, interspersed with periods of silence. I find that the discipline of being in a group helps me focus more strongly, and for longer. Also, when there are powerful meditators in the group then they lift the 'vibe' of the meditation room, enhancing the experience for others: this is particularly helpful for beginners, who might otherwise struggle to focus.

Some of the most powerful experiences I have had in meditation involved "drishti" i.e. spiritual vision. This is a communication of third eye energies between two souls - it involves looking into each other's eyes, whilst in a yogic state - third eye energies travel between the two participants. When you give someone drishti, and they give you drishti back, there is an intense experience of blissful energy being exchanged. It does require both participants to be in an elevated state of consciousness at the time, and then the experience will elevate your state of consciousness further.

A key factor relevant to the meditation experience is the atmosphere of the place of meditation. It is far easier to meditate in a room which has been used effectively for this purpose over a period of time. Thus, purpose built meditation rooms, temples, and some churches and chapels, serve you well. On the other hand, once you are accomplished, it It is a good test to try to meditate in an place with a base or chaotic energy, for example a supermarket or shopping mall - if you can achieve a blissful yogic state in such an environment then you are doing well! Such efforts make us stronger.

Meditation requires practice and persistence, but the results are very much worth the effort. An experienced yogi can meditate anytime and anywhere, and the yogic state becomes their everyday state of consciousness. This is what I am aiming for.